National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

June 6th, 2020 High Wind and Severe Thunderstorm Event

The combination of an upper level trough moving across, along with a strong level pressure gradient, led to numerous reports of strong winds across much of the area on Saturday.  Strong wind gusts from 55 to 70 mph, not associated with thunderstorms, occurred over the plains of northeast Colorado.

Meanwhile, by midday, thunderstorms developed over the higher terrain and then moved rapidly northeast across the I-25 corridor by mid afternoon.  These storms then tracked across the plains from late afternoon into the early evening hours.  Wind gusts from 60 to 80 mph were common with a few gusts exceeding 90 mph.  The highest gust observed was 110 mph, at the Winter Park Ski area, around 12000 feet.

 

Highest Wind Gusts from Thunderstorms

 

Non Thunderstorm Wind Gusts

 

Radar Loop of Thunderstorms as they moved across the area.

 

Radar Loop of Velocity Data

 

 

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